Advice Needed...I'm a 'Fraidy Cat! Help!

[yogabear]

Hi,

It's been a while since I have posted. I lurk from time to time though

Thought I'd come here to ask the two wheeled Goddesses for help

Anyway, I am really not a beginner cyclist. I have been mtn. biking for 11 years and road riding for 10 years. However, I am choosing to focus on road and road racing these past recent years.

Here's the kicker...I never really have done many group road rides. I have been to road bike camp and rode in groups in races LOL But, I really realized I have put the cart before the horse so to speak. I have the fitness, but not the group road riding skills.

So, I decided to do a real group ride this past weekend. People were cool to me, etc. I had fun, but I was a bit chicken at times to ride so close to the wheel in front of me. I know about the benefits of drafting and I know I need to learn how to become at ease with this in order to become the racer I want to be, etc.

But, it really scares the bejesus out of me to ride that close!

Does it ever get better?

Okay, whew, I feel better admitting this and getting it off my chest.

I also realized I do not like to corner or descend in groups.

Oh man, I have got some major work to do...I know I can do it, but I would really appreciate any moral support or advice you might be willing to give me...

Off to get ready to do another group ride...It's a beginner one, so you shouldn't hear me scream too much or too loudly

Thanks in advance for the help!

-Lisa

[Blueberry]

Not sure how helpful this is, but I've *never* gotten comfortable with drafting. People tell me you do, but I'd much rather not do it and look around while I ride - my personal style.

So...you're not alone! Hopefully someone else will have advice on how to improve it - since it sounds like you need to to get where you want to with your riding. I, on the other hand, do not...

[Eden]

It does get easier - especially if you ride and train with the same people for some time. You will get to know and trust them. You will also be able to start to read the body language of the riders that are around you even if you do not know them. After some time you'll start to be able to read the pack dynamics better and to know who you should be able to trust and who you should stay away from.

I admire that you admit that you need to build your pack skills. We definitely have some gals out here that could use some of that. To be completely frank riders in your situation can be a bit scary for everyone else- strong enough to be in the pack, but without the pack handling skills to be safe, so its really cool that you want to learn. Often new riders can be somewhat hostile to advice, but if a more experienced rider gives speaks to you, they usually are doing it to save you and themselves some skin, not to just be critical so its good to listen.

Of course, riding in a group is the best way to get better, so it sounds like you are on your way. If you have any training races in your area they are great too. Skills clinics that have you practice cornering and bumping are useful as well. Better to experience some of these things in a controlled situation before you experience them in the real world. If you have the opportunity to join a club or better yet, a team, do it. The support and advice of others who have already been where you are at now is great. In any case I think that it is normal to be at least a little nervous in a pack and maybe even good. You definitely need to pay attention at all times so relaxing too much might be detrimental.

Don't worry - everyone is a little nervous, but it keeps us on our toes. You'll get more comfortable as you do more group riding and, at least for me, its never as scary as I think it will be. I did my first crit last weekend and I've always heard about how bad they can be. I am happy to report that it was not as nearly as frightenting as I expected. I went early, rode the course with some of the higher catagory women, got a lot of great advice on how to corner in a crit and did fine. With your background in mt. biking you are proabably a pretty good bike handler and you should do fine with a little practice.

Good luck and keep us updated on how you are doing.

[li10up]

I admire that you admit that you need to build your pack skills. We definitely have some gals out here that could use some of that. To be completely frank riders in your situation can be a bit scary for everyone else- strong enough to be in the pack, but without the pack handling skills to be safe, so its really cool that you want to learn. Often new riders can be somewhat hostile to advice, but if a more experienced rider gives speaks to you, they usually are doing it to save you and themselves some skin, not to just be critical so its good to listen.

I've only been riding for a year but it still amazes me how many people on a group ride, and these people have been riding much longer than me, don't hold their line or really change their line when taking a corner, etc. I'm sure there are things that I do wrong too but that kind of stuff is scarry to me...not knowing where/what someone who is unpredictable is going/doing. To me it seems like common sense to hold your line but apparently it isn't. Or how someone in front of me won't point out a pothole and I nearly go into it. Maybe that's a whole new thread - riding etiquette for beginners. I know there is probably a whole lot I could learn from the experienced pack riders here. As far as drafting. Once you've done it when you are extremely tired you will embrace it as your friend! I wouldn't have made it back on a group ride once if I didn't have someone draft for me the whole way back. Now that's a nice guy!!

[KTeach]

Riding in a group is scary especially when you don't know their "background". Most clubs that cater to many levels of riders (i.e. have A,B, C, rides) offer a class or a series of training rides that focus on bike handling skills. Some of the more "serious" clubs assume the riders know how to stay in line, draft, point/call out obstacles, etc. (they don't necessarily!). The best thing I ever did was take those training rides with the NYC Cycle Club - you had to learn how to ride in NYC traffic and on winding roads with suburban drivers, and bike handling, and safe riding skills were taught. If your local club doesn't offer a class or training rides I'd seek out one of the bigger organizations that offer weekends for beginners/intermediates that teach the basics of safe riding - they are good even for non newbies. Riding with people who are knowledgeable and safety conscious is SO much better!

[AussieEm]

Yes, it does get better, especially if you ride with the same people a lot. If you let the people you are training with know that you are less experienced, and nervous about certain types of group riding, they will more than likely offer you lots of different kinds of advice which will help you develop your skills more quickly (and they should respect you and thank you for not endangering them by pretending you have nothing to learn).

[Geonz]

The way I got used to it was to really ease into it. I started with doing it with just one or two other riders; we'd just take turns taking the wind for a while, and then ever once in a while, "okay, want to switch?" - then along came a more brutal day when we *did* pretty much take half a mile at a time (and that's when I learned to SMILE when pushing hard, instead of my former default grimace, 'cause flying into the wind I totally sunburned and windburned the inside of my lower lip and it took a long time for those blisters to heal...).
Then it so happened that there were seven of us picking up a pretty good pace... and one of the ladies was new and thought we were racing, not pacing, so the ride leader gave a spontaneous lesson in "this is how we do a pace line" and was calling out instructions to us. (It was especially fun because she was on a big honking mountain bike, I was on a 40 pound 1960 single-speed ... but we averaged 17.2 mph - but going slower and working that hard was ideal for learning.)

I happen to *know* my reflexes are only so good... it's not just being chicken. Being on a hybrid w/ toe clips means that unless people know me, they assume I'm inexperienced, and communicate more... I don't mind at all (and love surprising them :-))

[yogabear]

Hi and thanks so much for the feedback, advice, and support.

I'm lucky because I have several beginner road group rides I can take advantage of in my area. I've been a member of a bike club and had never really taken advantage of the group rides.

My new bike coach suggested that I do group rides and I am so glad he did. My husband used to coach me--wonderful guy, but he really wanted to "protect" me so he didn't want me to do group rides, but I was the one who chose to not do them--I could have rebelled...Geesh, I am surprised I didn't LOL.

I did another group ride last night and it was actually fun. I stayed on a wheel the whole time and rode well. Plus, "the view" was nice Hee hee!

I am gaining more and more confidence the more I do group riding, but I think I'll always have a healthy alertness if you will. But, I always approach my life with the idea that I can learn something new every day in every situation...beginners' mind type of thing

I think my issue is getting more experience. I also realized it's quite simple...I have to keep doing group rides...I just love it when things are simple that way.

Thanks so much for the kind words and sharing your wisdom here...It really helps me a lot

Thank you

[RoadRaven]

Well, everyone has given good advice...

I just will add my experience... I was afraid to draft too, but I practiced with my partner and sons, and although I don't follow as close as some, I can draft effectively now.

I think the key element for me is trust. I either have to know the riders, or know the level experience of the riders.